The deep-dish Buttercrust pie at Lou Malnati’s pizzeria, prepped and ready to bake

CHICAGO’S A TOWN OF MANY MONIKERS — Windy City, City of Big Shoulders, Second City and, as poet Carl Sandburg wrote, “hog butcher for the world.” While each speaks to the city’s history as an industrial powerhouse led by fast-talking politicos, none of these nicknames does justice to Chi-town’s cleanness, greenness or top-notch culinary scene. Exploring the patchwork of neighborhoods and expansive outdoor spaces will give you a sense of the city’s past, present and future. It’s an understated—and quintessentially American—megalopolis, where Midwestern hospitality meets big-city worldliness. Spend a few days wandering around and you won’t just want to stay longer—you’ll probably want to move here.